A Brand New Life in Japan September 08, 2023

By Haoze L (Japanese Studies, Middlebury College) - abroad from 03/15/2023 to 06/23/2023 with

Middlebury Schools Abroad: Middlebury in Tokyo

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?

What I gained is will be hard to summarize within sentences, but I can say that I understand Japan as a country, as a place where people live, better and through more perspectives.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program?	2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.
* Host Country Program Administration On-site administration of your program
* Housing: How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?
* Food:
* Social & Cultural Integration: How integrated did you feel with the local culture?
* Health Care: How well were health issues addressed during the program?
* Safety:
If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program?	Yes I love the university and the teachers at ICU. The neighborhood was really nice and very convenient. The teachers gave me a lot of support when I met issues and everyone was so friendly and nice,

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget? (1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component?	Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language? 0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program?	Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program?	Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure?	Japanese 301
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants?	Learn through living.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live? Select all that apply	Dorm
* Who did you live with? Select all that apply	Americans
* Who did you take classes with? Select all that apply	Local Students Americans International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?	Middlebury field trip JLP language course Daily life
* What could be improved?	Field trip Course registration Dormitory suppoort
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program?	How to register good courses

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.	The Nearly Native or Trail Blazer Craving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.'

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:	Eco 0211
Course Department:	Econ
Instructor:
Instruction Language:	English
Comments:	The teacher was nice, but his usage of English was relatively poor and it was hard for students like me to understand him. So most of the time I had to self study. Luckily the course was organized well and scheduled clearly, and workload was fair enough.
Credit Transfer Issues:	No